Masaka Chief Magistrate Charles Yeteise issued criminal
summons against the in-charge of Saaza Government Prison Henry Kidega for failing to
produce more than 60 supporters of the National Unity platform before the court
on Wednesday.
They were part of a group of NUP supporters who were arrested in Kalangala district on charges of acting
in a manner that is likely to spread an infectious disease and inciting
violence.
On the day of their arrest, the NUP presidential candidate Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu was scheduled to hold campaigns in the island district. But, he was also airlifted out of the islands to Kololo airstrip in Kampala and later driven to his home in Magere. More than 100 of his supporters were detained.
Alexander Lule, one of the lawyers representing the
accused people told the court that most of the accused persons that
were supposed to be presented to the court for official release, after a successful bail application, had not been
produced even after fulfilling the bail conditions.
He asked the court to issue an arrest warrant against
Kidega for contempt of
court. This was based on his failure to honour a production warrant
issued by
the same court for the people who were under his custody.
//Cue in; “I asked court...
Cue out.... on the 11."//
Another lawyer Majeran Kazibwe told the court that they had
information that the accused people were intercepted on their way to Masaka
court from Saaza Prison and diverted to another route out of Masaka. Kazibwe also asked the court to issue criminal summons
against the in-charge of Saaza Prison to explain the whereabouts of the accused
people.
One of the prisons officers told the court that he had been
given a group of 23 people to deliver to the court and not 60 as expected.
However, he added, he was unable to answer questions related to the numbers and
why they were not eventually produced in court.
The magistrate issued criminal summons against Kidega, to
appear before the court on Monday, January 11, and explain the whereabouts of the
accused persons that were not produced before the court.
Magistrate Yeteise also ordered for the immediate release of
over 46 National Unity Platform supporters that had fulfilled the bail
conditions ordering them to reaper before the court on January 19, 2021, for further
hearing of the case.
Fahad Jjingo
Freelancer